A development application has been lodged to significantly expand the Manly Boathouse restaurant and function facility at Manly Marina.
Read: Fresh Catch: Manly Boathouse Launches New Seafood Market The Trawler
The application was submitted to Brisbane City in May 2026, seeking approval to extend the existing venue at 34 Fairlead Crescent into the vacant land sitting to its west.
The proposal, designed by JA Design, calls for a two-storey building alongside a single-storey private dining area that would physically connect the new structure to the existing seafood restaurant. According to application documents lodged with Brisbane, the extension would cover a gross floor area of around 908 square metres, nearly doubling the venue’s existing floor area.
What the Expansion Includes
The new two-storey building would deliver a ground floor of 612 square metres and a mezzanine of 197 square metres, while a dedicated private dining area would add a further 99 square metres. The building would stand 8.868 metres tall, within the precinct’s three-storey allowance.
Alongside the new structure, the plans include additional kitchen space, a bar, staff room, toilets, indoor and outdoor dining areas, landscaping, and five new on-site car parking spaces including accessible parking, according to documents published on Brisbane City Council’s development portal.
The venue would operate under a dual-use model. From Thursday to Sunday, the extended spaces would function as a food and drink outlet, while Mondays to Wednesdays would be reserved for use as a function facility, targeting small-scale events such as weddings during periods of lower activity at the marina. The existing approved operating hours of 6am to midnight would remain in place, with noise management controls including music level restrictions and limited delivery hours between 7am and 6pm.
The proposal also relies partly on shared parking across the broader marina precinct rather than exclusively on-site spaces, a point addressed in the town planning report submitted with the application.
Read: Take A Look Inside The Newly Opened Manly Boathouse
A Site Ready for Its Next Chapter
Willowtree Planning, in documents included with the application, noted there is existing support from the Transport and Main Roads Department to see the undeveloped land to the west of the boathouse put to better use. The department, as the Manly Boat Harbour owner, has offered conditional consent to the application, though it noted it may require all or part of the works to be removed at the end of the boathouse’s current lease. That lease is set to expire in 2030, with options available to renew.
Planners added that the proposal is substantially compliant with the Brisbane City Planning Scheme 2014, sitting within the Wynnum-Manly Neighbourhood Plan and zoned as a Specialised Centre (Marina).
The application remains before Brisbane City for assessment.
Published 2-June-2026
